Bosses at Wood Park were due to meet as the Chronicle went to press last night. The urgent summit was convened after the Bullets’ appeal against the UniBond League’s decision to relegate them was dismissed.

That leaves Alsager facing the prospect of North West Counties League football next term – if they are to carry on at all.

Unpopular owners Chris Ansell and Richard Mitchell are believed to be disillusioned with their role after an internal wrangle scuppered their chances of avoiding the punishment. Last night’s meeting will decide the future of the club.

Town were relegated when they failed to meet a league deadline to upgrade their ground, off Fairview Avenue.

Around £15,000 of work was necessary to upgrade the standing area around the pitch. Ansell was not prepared to pay for it until he was given control of the lease on which the stadium stands.

But the former board members – who walked out en-bloc in November after falling out with Ansell – still controlled the lease and refused to sign it over.

So the stalemate continued as the deadline passed, and the club failed a ground inspection.

A UniBond League spokesman said: “The appeal under Rule 2.4 on ground grading issues was dismissed.

“The club had appealed on the grounds that the decision was one that no reasonable body could have come to, and also on the grounds that the sanction imposed was too severe. The tribunal upheld the League’s decision on both counts.”